


The Calling of Prayer

by cardigan_carm



Category: Tales of Series, Tales of Xillia
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, First Kiss, First Meetings, Gentle Kissing, M/M, Medium Jude, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-23
Updated: 2018-09-23
Packaged: 2019-07-16 05:37:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16079534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cardigan_carm/pseuds/cardigan_carm
Summary: Alvin is in need of prayer before setting out on his last mercenary job. On his way to Rashugal he makes a pit stop to Nia Khera.Here he meets the medium Jude Mathis.





	The Calling of Prayer

Alvin used to pray as a child, but now as a man he never felt the desire to. Tomorrow he’d be taking on his last mercenary job, it would be his hardest yet. Luckily, he didn’t have to take anybody out or capture someone, he only had to spy and gather information on the Rashugal King and supply the info to the King of Auj Oule.

Easy, right? Well he couldn’t quell the dread in his belly. This was probably the most dangerous job he had taken on, but after completing this, he’d be free and with enough gald to open up his merchant stand. He’d set up somewhere nice and live the rest of his days in quiet. Alvin just needed to survive his trip to Fennmont. 

So, he wanted to get a blessing, something to lessen his worries. Just knowing that the spirits favored him would guarantee his success.

Alvin decided taking a pitstop was in order before he entered Rashugal territory.

Two decades had passed since he had last prayed.

He had forgotten most of the words. The prayer began with giving praise to Maxwell, Alvin had come to Nia Khera for a blessing after leaving the capital of Auj Oule. In his mind, he hoped it would assuage his worries. Alvin tried to recite the words from memory as he cleared the last of the long staircase. Before him as the mist and fog gave way to a modest temple he took a breather. This space was the holiest area in all of Rieze Maxia, though Alvin was expecting grandeur, not modesty. The little shrine was still a welcomed sight, the small structure removed the anxiety he felt.

Crossing the grounds, he groaned, scratching at his shaggy brown hair as he looked to the five stairs before him. It was too soon to see more, he sighed before giving a sarcastic laugh. “This place better be worth it.” He climbed the five steps pausing, before entering the shrine. “I’ve climbed more stairs today than I have in my entire life.” Laughing to himself.

Here he would give praise to the Lord of Spirits, Maxwell and the Great Four, they would surely bless him. Especially, since he had made the pilgrimage. 

Moving the heavy curtains aside, Alvin peered inwards and passed the threshold. The interior was bare, save for a small raised dais, on it were pillows and cushions. A body luxuriated on the fluffiness and before the small shrine sat someone, they blinked before hurriedly standing up, clamoring over noisily. 

“Hey! Who are you?! What’s your business here?!” The flaxen haired teen scurried over, standing on tiptoes as he got in the mercenary’s face.

Alvin had heard of the handmaid, Ivar. He was the fiery and infamously annoying guardian of the medium. “I’m here for a blessing —, what else.” He gave a small nonchalant shrug of his broad shoulders.

“You have to be announced before you barge in! You haveta leave now!!” The handmaid grumble before pushing away the swordsman. “Go back to the village and do this properly.”

The brunette didn’t take kindly to having hands on him, but he’d endure. He had to receive the blessing. Alvin frowned, hardly moved by the shove as he stood there, the medium in the background stirred and slowly sat up as if waking from a nap.

“Ivar, please stop. He is a patron, we don’t turn away the faithful who are in need. Especially when they are seeking a blessing.” The voice of the medium was soft and soothing to the ears, melodic in a way. It instantly reduced the irritation within Alvin to nonexistent levels.

Gazing beyond the guardian, he laid eyes on the other as he stood. Wild black locks that fell around a youthful face, the spirit channeler looked no older than Ivar. He got up, padding over as he quickly closed the distance.

This was Jude Mathis, the current medium for the Lord of Spirits and the Great Four.

It was said he was found by his predecessor at the age of five and was taken in since then. That was fifteen years ago, so they say. That couldn’t be right, right? This was a kid before him, not an adult.

Jude began to shoo Ivar away. “I need you to go so I can help —.” He left the sentence open ended.

“Alvin,” he supplied swiftly. Those eyes smiled in thanks before they fixed on the long-haired teen.

Ivar secured Jude with a stare of his own and frowned in disapproval. It looked like he wanted to say something, but he bit his tongue and then glared at Alvin. “You better behave.” He shook a finger in Alvin’s face.

“You have my word, boy scout’s honor and all.” Alvin crossed his heart and grinned even as the look Ivar issued turned murderous before moving off of him to then fall towards Jude with mild contempt.

“I’ll be back in a couple of hours.”

“Thank you, Ivar, I’ll see you then.” A kind smile was issued as the handmaid left them. Once he was gone from the shrine, Jude reached out and gently pulled Alvin with him, heading towards the mound of pillows on the dais. “You’re in need of a blessing, right?”

“Um yeah.” Alvin was shocked at the forwardness, but it didn’t last. He was guided towards the cushions and landed in the mass as the younger man settled next to him. “Aren’t I supposed ta – y’know like recite the prayer to the spirits or something?”

“Normally, that would be the first thing you do,” Jude acknowledge with a small nod of his head. “The spirits aren’t so inflexible, that’s just how we humans are, thinking they need such structured rituals. Honestly, they just enjoy helping others like I do.” A smile came to that youthful face, bright and disarming and Alvin couldn’t help but be taken in by the warmth. Though he was formerly dating Presa who was know for her beauty throughout Auj Oule, he couldn’t help but think Jude radiated with his own kind of prettiness.

He was shocked by his thoughts, but they quickly vanished. He just seemed so – soft. Alvin just wanted to put an arm around him and draw him close or ruffle his unruly locks. He reframed, sadly, going against his instincts.

It remained quiet for an odd couple of minutes. Both men lost in thought.

“Alvin, I um – I wanted to ask something of you before we get started with the blessing. Could you do something for me? Even if you refuse I’ll still invoke the blessing. I just have a small request to make,” Jude’s voice trembled with uncertainty and a flush colored his cheeks. The coyness added to his adorability. 

The older man found himself smiling easily, he wanted to tease Jude. Wanting to see if he could grow further flustered. “Sure thing kid, you got that psycho friend of yours off my back. I owe ya,” a carefree chuckle erupted from him as he lounged with the other. 

“Would you –, um –.” His light brown eyes fell away from Alvin’s as the blush reached his ears now. “Would you – um – kiss me?”

Had he heard right, was the medium to the spirits asking for a kiss? No, that couldn’t be right. He was hearing things! 

Alvin watched as the hopefulness in those large golden-brown eyes dwindled and a crestfallen air shrouded Jude as he shrank on himself. “Sorry, that was a stupid request. Please ignore it, we’ll get on with the prayer.”

“Wait kid.” Alvin reached out, tentatively placing a hand on a slender shoulder. “I didn’t turn you down, I thought I was losing it for a moment is all. Can you tell me why you’d want a kiss?”

The rosiness returned to those pale cheeks and his eyes averted. “I’m a man and I’ve never experienced one, I don’t want to go through life without some experiences –. Being the medium is a full-time responsibility and doesn’t allow me to do what most do my age. If I can just have this one thing, I’ll be happy. Beside your, y’know – attractive,” he mumbled the last part softly, but Alvin was able to catch it all.

The mercenary smiled and reached out, lassoing Jude under the weight of his arm. He pulled the smaller body closer and he used his other hand to tilt the other’s lips up and he pressed a soft, lingering kiss on the other’s parted pout. The kiss was chaste, but it ended too quickly for Alvin’s liking. He pulled back and then reclined in the pillows with Jude against him. “There! How was that? Do you need more?”

“I uh – do you always say embarrassing things?”

It was cute seeing the spirit channeler so flustered. Alvin laughed hearing that and Jude’s embarrassment grew. “I do it because you turn so red and I find it rather adorable.” He confessed easily as the raven’s flush deepened as he frowned. “Awe c’mon kid, don’t be like that.”

“Don’t call me kid, I’m not one.”

“Ya sure? I mean you look younger than your handmaid.” 

The medium rolled his eyes and frowned, the expression looking like a pout rather than annoyance. “I’ll be twenty-one this year, you can’t be that much older than me.”

Alvin whistled, smirking as those eyes looked up at him curiously. “Damn, I had you pegged as a teenager. My bad,” he shrugged casually. “You look really – young –.”

“I get that a lot, good genes, I guess.” He sighed as he continued to lean into Alvin. “It just means I’ll look young when I’m actually old unlike you,” he teased as a bright smile came to his face. The amusement was short lived as Alvin took hold of his cheeks, pinching them with one hand as Jude’s lips puckered.

“Touché,” he murmured as he leaned in, pressing his lips to the others. His hold on that heart-shaped face lessen, letting his lips firm against the other’s, the kiss remained chaste, but lingering. Pulling back, he smiled at Jude. 

“What was that for,” Jude questioned softly as his eyes remained wide.

“I don’t know,” Alvin shrugged with a grin. “Revenge maybe?”

“Revenge? That’s a strange way to enact it. In the books I’ve read it was always dastardly actions.” Turning, he laid against Alvin as he looked up reminding the mercenary of a puppy with his big beautiful eyes.

“You read a lot of fiction or something?”

“I do, but I also partake in a lot of non-fiction as well. To pass the time I do a lot of reading and that’s how I learn about the outside world.”

“You don’t leave Nia Khera, do you?” Alvin already knew the answer to his question and it made him sad to know that the medium never left the surrounding area.

“I do go down to the town, I help with healing and nursing the sick and injured. I haven’t left the village since I was brought here, but I do what I can to help.” 

Alvin could see the honesty in those eyes, an earnest nature that thrived off being there for others. No matter how small or inconsequential the help was, he could tell Jude just wanted to aid in anyway. No wonder asking for the kiss seemed so hard for him. Alvin knew that Jude thought he was being selfish asking for something so indulgent. It was oddly cute, and he wanted to kiss him repeatedly.

What had this kid invoked in him?

He wasn’t sure, but since he had Jude practically on him he drew him near and pressed a soft kiss to that face, peppering those cheeks in gentle caresses of his lips before he found Jude’s own, kissing him again. This time he opened his mouth and traced that bottom lip, feeling the plush plumpness of it. 

Jude jumped in his arms yet didn’t pull away. He hesitated, but his lips parted as he gave silent admittance to Alvin. Taking the invite, Alvin dove in, letting his tongue lap as he pulled the petite body closer to his. It was an unhurried kiss, he enjoyed the pace. When Jude made a small noise, he drew back and smiled. “You doin’ okay?”

“I – uh – um yeah, forgot to breathe is all. It’s kinda hard to remember that piece.”

Alvin chuckled and smirked. “You’ll get the hang of it.” 

Jude flushed a deeper shade to Alvin’s surprise as he pulled himself up and pressed his lips to his. It was another shock, but Alvin easily fell into the groove and let a hand come up and gently touching that baby face, guiding him to tilt his head more. His tongue licked gently while exploring the contours of that sweet mouth. He groaned softly as he felt his desires spike from innocent to something demanding. Alvin knew where he felt a pull lower in his anatomy as lust bloomed. 

Jude moaned softly, his own mannerisms morphed into something deliciously needy. It was like honey to Alvin.

This was enough, and Alvin broke away gently with a soft pant as an enduring smile painted his face.

He licked his lips and pressed his forehead to Jude’s. “I think this is enough for today, wouldn’t want to get carried away.” Alvin gently moved the other as he began to pull from the nest of pillows as he stood. He smiled and gave a wave as he began to urgently head to the only exit of the small shrine. “I’ll see ya kid,” he saluted, before lifting the curtains.

Sitting up, Jude was surprised as his eyes rounded. “What about the prayer and blessing?”

“Don’t need it now, not with those good luck kisses of yours.” He winked. “I’ll be back before you know it.” With that he passed through the heavy cloth as he left the shrine. A pleased smile on his lips, Alvin knew he’d be fine going to Rashugal, maybe when he retired he could settle here, in Nia Khera.

Jude seemed to wilt among his pillows from Alvin’s quick departure. Had he messed up somehow? He was so confused.

“Don’t worry Jude, he’ll be back.” He looked to see the Lord of Spirits hover above his shoulder. The woman smiled widely down at him. “Next time I’m sure you’ll have coitus with him. I can’t wait to see this human phenomenon.” Her fingers curled curiously around her chin, a matter-of-fact expression on her ethereal face. Milla was serious and the medium knew it.

“MILLA!!” Jude yelped in mortification before burying his face into his makeshift bedding. 

“What?!” Milla sighed as she was now perplexed. “Humans,” she casually shrugged, still not understanding the complexities of mankind.

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to make this smut but decided against it...  
> Enjoy! ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ
> 
> Okay, well Kudos are awesome, bookmarking is cool  
> and leaving a comments is appreciated!  
> (Carm is thirsty for those comments though!)  
> :*･ﾟ☆.｡.:*･ﾟ￡(｡･”･)o[†…Thanks for reading…†]o(･”･｡)β｡.:*･ﾟ☆.｡.:*  
> [cardigan carm's tumblr](https://cardigan-carm.tumblr.com/)


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